HRC56: Oral Statement during Oral Update with the FFM Sudan

Item 2:Interactive Dialogue on oral update of fact-finding mission for Sudan

Organisation: Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)

Speaker: Claire Denman

Thank you, Mr President

As the war in Sudan enters its 15^th month, CSW is alarmed by the worsening humanitarian situation. The conflict can be most accurately described as a war on civilians, with appalling levels of human suffering occasioned by egregious violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law.

The violence meted out by both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) has left civilians in crisis. Levels of hunger are high and with warring parties continuing their military assaults, farmers are unable to access their lands to sow or harvest crops, setting the stage for an avoidable humanitarian crisis. The UN estimates that a quarter of the country’s population has been displaced, and by September, up to 20 million people will be facing starvation.

In Darfur, the RSF have advanced their military operations in El Fasher, disproportionately impacting civilians. El Fasher hosts the largest camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan, and vulnerable civilians have extremely limited options for safety. Additionally, the ongoing targeting by the RSF of specific ethnic and racial groups and the fact that the city is largely inhabited by Masalit and non-Arab Darfuri tribes increase the risk that atrocity crimes are being committed.

In March, the SAF dropped four bombs on El Hadra village in the Nuba Mountains which fell on the primary school killing 14 people, most of them children, and led to the displacement of over 100 civilians. Places of worship have also been targeted in the fighting, in violation of International Humanitarian Law. In March 2024 an Islamist militia affiliated with the SAF vandalised and detonated explosives inside the Sheikh Qarib Allah mosque in Omdurman. The mosque is in an area that has been under SAF control since early March, and a reliable source confirmed that prior to this date it had not been damaged in any exchanges of fire between the SAF and the RSF. Islamist militias affiliated with the SAF, particularly the Al-Bara bin Malik Brigade, have been empowered by the ongoing war, which is a rising risk in the country and potentially region, as extremist groups are able to access weapons.

In al Jazeera, where the RSF control large parts of the state, over 100 people were killed in what has been described as an RSF massacre in Wad-al-Noor village.

The RSF are also responsible, reportedly, for the targeting of civil society actors, including the killing of journalist Muawiya Abdel Razek and three members of his family on 4 June in Khartoum. The journalist had previously been detained by the paramilitary group. Thus, in addition to the violations being committed during the fighting, civilians living in areas controlled by both parties are subjected to arbitrary detention and harassment. Members of resistance committees, journalists, lawyers, and opposition politicians are particularly likely to experience detention, monitoring or targeting.

There is an urgent need for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire by all parties to the conflict. The recent resolution passed by the UN Security Council announces to all parties that the international community is monitoring the situation in Sudan. The serious violations that are reported require continuing independent investigation, and for perpetrators to be held to account. Therefore, the work of the Designated Expert and the Fact-Finding mission are vital to ensuring justice and accountability and addressing years of impunity.